Lone Drinking

I'm not normally a woman who pops into the pub for a pint on my own.

These days, I'm perfectly happy to toddle in on my own in order to meet folk for a drink - in fact, I do it on a regular basis.  It wasn't always the case, though...it used to take me a lot of screwing up of courage to do that.  So it would have been unthinkable for me to drop in for a drink just because I fancied one.

The very first time I popped into the pub for a drink on my own I had to be coached from afar by my good and tolerant mate, Tim.  He maintained that no one would give a damn that I was there on my own.  Of course he was right and even though the experience was terrifying and required me to take plenty of props with me (book, smartphone and camera), it was totally worth it (even though Doom Bar was the Hobson's Choice beer).

Why is it such a problem?  I'm not sure.
I guess it feels quite exposing to look a bit "Johnny no mates", and I think that women might feel that more acutely since it's very common to see blokes in for a pint on their own.
Does it make it better or worse that I'm a drinker of pints of real ale?  Would I feel better drinking gin or wine?
In a pub that's known for its beer, I'm probably more comfortable than in places that do beer but don't specialize.  But I haven't done any extensive research since usually I'm lucky to have my favourite beer buddy with me.

Since my first solo flight I've repeated the experience a small handful of times  - once to watch football in what was my local in Bristol, three times on working visits to Eastbourne before we bought our place here...and then today.

I was running errands in town and I just fancied a little sit down and a pint - so I went to the Dolphin again and had a pint of Dark Star Darkness.  I was perfectly content in the place, the only disappointment being that my favourite sofa near the fire and the nicest tables were all full.

I had a sales brochure to read, I'd deliberately brought my recently acquired copy of Sussex Pevsner Guide and I had my phone which I used to send a couple of emails.

I concluded that this is a 3+pint pub - and it would have been awfully tempting for me today to stay longer, had the sofa been free.

What makes it good?  I still don't know.
It's a fairly spacious and open kind of a pub too and plenty of spaces of different sizes so you can choose accordingly.
The friendly and engaging staff make a huge difference to a lone lady drinker, I reckon.  And this probably what tips the balance for me.

It won't be the last time I pop in, that's for sure.